Lauren's Song
by StoriesWhispered
Summary: Many horrors met Emily when she is in Doyle's clutches and one single miracle. Mini-Series
1. Got it All

**_A/N: Just a quick little story that snuck up on me. No I don't own Criminal Minds, if I did Emily would still be there._**

**_!_**

The shock of seeing her was not registering in the teams minds but there she was.

Hugging them, apologizing. Saying nothing of her life as Lauren Reynolds or as Annalise Rousseau. Just on Declan.

And like that, a light switch, it was like she never left; exchanging information, building a profile to find a missing child.

Then it came to finding out who the mother was.

Something changed in Emily then and there. A flash of Lauren Reynolds.

Something in the eyes, searching for something. What? The team had no idea and before the team could ask, she had volunteer to shake out the truth from Doyle.

-!-

Ian went from concerned father to angry sociopath within seconds.

He actually tried to stand but failed to remember he was handcuffed as he threatened Emily Prentiss life.

Oddly enough she was smiling. That smile stopped him short.

"Motherhood always suited you," his voice back to calm.

Her smiled widened. Yes, it did.

"The father was unfortunately not my choice, but I'll take my little miracles where I can get them."

"A person of providence, after all?"

"No fatalism I'm afraid," her eyes bore into him, "while there are some things unresolved," he smirked at the word. A good word for Lauren Reynolds and Ian Doyle.

"-my actions took me to you, I chose to bring the fight to you, knowing what you'd do."

They were silent. Different people danced around her eyes, trying to take control. Lauren, pinning away for a doomed love. Emily, poised to kill. Annalise, just wanted to be far from this dangerous criminal. All remembered the horrors. All sought the boy.

"Boy or girl?" There it was behind his eyes, what she had been waiting for.

"Which one is Declan's mother?"

He stared at her, losing himself in Lauren all over again, damn her he thought.

His mind was racing, he had to know the child she had brought into light. Did he have his eyes. Or her mother's hair.

"Of all the things you are, Ian," her eyes trapped him, "a bad father was never one of them."

He let silent tears fall, holding her gaze.

"Lauren," he pleaded.

"She has your nose."

"Chloe Donaghy"

-!-

Emily took the list Doyle had just finished and stared him down. Ian smiled, the only woman in the world that he knew would give his son to live a long happy life. He saluted her and she left him.

She took the names to the team, her blood pounding, glad she made sure that they had not watched her interview with Doyle. She would tell them about her daughter. Of all the things they had missed. Of all the thing Ian Doyle had done to her. But not today.

Discussions surrounded her and she kept the fear grow in her belly, fester. Declan.

Part of her knew he wasn't dead. She would know if he was, she would have felt if he was gone.

Before she knew it Reid was getting ready to release him and fighting over Declan's chances at survival.

Arguing with Strauss. And finally they were on their way to Declan.

-!11111111111111111

The trip was a blur, all Ian did was look at her. Reid kept a protective hand on her shoulder while staring death glares at him.

But Ian was a meek prisoner, no noises escaped him. They were 10 minutes away before he finally spoke.

"May I see her?"

Spencer started protesting but she was already pulling out her wallet. Flipping it the picture section, the first one of Declan and Lauren holding each other in a random moment captured, his head, full of curls laying across her chest, eyes wide opened and turned to the camera and her lips curved in a smile. Next to that picture, all his school pictures crammed underneath each other in one flimsy plastic picture slot. Pulling them all out she handed them over wordlessly.

Flipping to the very back of the endless pages of pictures of happy times with the team.

Picnics, girl's night, movie night, babysitting Henry. The few precious moments that kept her going.

Then there at the end, the sonogram that rocked her world all over again. Bleeding's, beatings, brutality and chair leg in the belly, and her.

Many horrors met Emily when she is in Doyle's clutches and one single miracle.

Shaking away memories she pulled another picture, herself holding that dark haired beautiful baby.

Handing over the new pictures in exchange the pictures of Declan.

He was crying but not making a sound as he took in his children.

"Take care of them." and like that he handed them back to her.

Silent the rest of the way. Emily just nodded and re-arranged her photos back into her wallet.

Reid caught her eye and she tried to tell him everything in that look. He seem to understand by the subtle shift in his eyes.

No need to say out loud that that Ian Doyle would not survive this trip.

Or how Lauren Reynolds loved the father of her two children. But it was Emily Prentiss taking him to his execution.

11111111111111!

"Sorry son," Emily and Lauren watched the light leave his eyes, one cheered and the other sobbed. Both held Declan close, safe.

It took a long time for Declan to look at her but he did, after they took away Doyle's body.

"Mom?" She smiled.

"Hey sweetheart," he buried himself in her. She hugged him close, tightly almost too tight but Declan seemed to be squeezing back.

It took Spencer dragging them both to their feet and wrapping them in a blanket, promises of a back seat where they would not be separated to make them move. He led them to the back of a black SUV as he drove back to the BAU where there would be a lot of chaos but he wasn't letting them out of his sight for as long as he could and he knew he needed to file at least some paperwork.

He left them in the conference room so they could have some privacy as the other went on to make phone calls and file papers.

!11111111111111

"It's time," she was stroking Declan's hair as he slept, his head on her lap.

"On the sixth floor-" she paused and listened to the voice coming from a small disposable cell phone.

"Thanks." She knew the Inquisition was coming soon but Declan was underage and would be saved from most of it. He didn't remember and understand most of what had happened but he had pieced together enough.

Enough to know Ian Doyle was his father, the man he had watched die. He also remembered her and his absolute love for her. He refused to be away from her. And she was about to introduce another reason he would never leave.

A knock on the door brought her back to Earth as she saw Agent Mia Williams enter with her daughter in her arms.

"Thanks Mia," she smiled and the CIA agent smiled back.

"She looks like you, Em."

"No, she looks like her father, thanks for everything." She said reaching for her daughter. Mia left her an envelope with a lot of paperwork she didn't want to deal with and her daughter in her arms.

Declan had been waking up since she stood to get the door and was fully awake taking in the sight in front of him.

"Declan meet your little sister, Dacey Lauren Prentiss."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_One life lost, a thousand memories fade in. Your memory will never fade in mine ~ Breathe Carolina_

_!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~!_

_So review maybe? Should I continue the story? Or just One-Shot it?_


	2. Mind Games

**_A/N: No I don't own it, dammit._**

**_Warning: Mentions implied rape. Not graphic but it's there._**

_CMCMCMCMCMCMCMCM!CMCMCMCM_

_No light in your bright blue eyes ~ Florence + the Machine_

She felt Reid watching them, he saw how he talked to Mia but she was an agent and genius or not he would get nothing from that agent. Mia would never betray Emily's secrets.

Declan was holding his sister like she was the most precious thing in the world. She sighed taking the moment and capturing it forever as she heard him murmur about safety and protection.

"Mi tesoro, I'm going down stairs," he looked up in a panic.

"I need you to take care of Dacey, you can both watch me from the window, ok?" He nodded but didn't look convinced as he walked over to the big window.

Emily walked down to the bullpen, over to Spencer.

"Hey"

"Hey" his shoulders hunched over and hands in his pockets, the cool confident man gone in the moment of insecurities.

"It's going to be ok, Reid." He looked at her with tortured eyes.

"How-uh-he-" he floundered for words, becoming angrier as he tried to find the right word.

Silently she took his hand and led him up the stairs, leading him to her children. A conversation she was not going to have with him today, if ever. She tried not to relive the warehouse in Paris, she could never retell that story to anyone not even Reid.

Slowly she entered the conference room and found her children looking at her.

"Tesoro, you remember my friend Spencer," it wasn't a question or an introduction. A statement.

"Spencer, this is my daughter, Dacey, she will be three months old, next week."

"Oh," nodding to Declan, understanding crossed his face and quietly walked to the far side of the room, giving Reid a measured look.

She smiled, Ian had a warrior son. She shook that thought away quickly, taking in the man in front of her.

"I need you to understand, you can be angry all day every day, I can't stop that, but I need you to understand this, please."

"Why me?" He was aware of Declan at least, while he was preoccupied with his little sister, he still could hear the conversation taking place.

She sighed, Reid and Rossi were going to be the easiest she knew. Morgan, she winced at the thought of that conversation. Rossi would be mad too but like Reid, he would understand, she just had to show him.

"Nathan Harris. Tobias Hankel. Owen Savage" She listed them watching the names roll on him in waves, the emotions that screamed out of his eyes.

"You understand them, relate to them, feel sorry for them, you want to save them." _Sometimes you can't_, she added silently.

She had wanted to save Ian Doyle, too. She let the Lauren in her truly love him, faults and all.

She tried to show him everything in her eyes. She wasn't sure of many things, Doyle's monstrosities but he had given her Dacey. A trade she make again.

"I wasn't conscious, Spencer." She wasn't lying, Ian Doyle was had done many things to her, the rape was the gentles of them all. He wasn't trying to punish her then, he simply couldn't help himself.

But that's all she would say on that subject while Declan was in the room.

The words met their mark as Reid relaxed, she saw him rebuild the walls quickly, sensing the end of the conversation. She smiled as he approached Declan and her daughter, she saw Declan tense. She sighed in relief as he handed over his sister, trusting Reid. At least he wasn't scarred forever by the incident at the airstrip.

She made a mental note to try to come up with a better word than _incident_ when she talked to Declan about it later.

Shaking the thought away she came up behind Declan, wrapping a protective hand around his chest, he leaned in to her. Placing a quick kiss on his head of curls and tried to make conversation with Reid as he spoke in broken French to her daughter.

They had small conversations that lapsed into long silences, but they weren't awkward, Declan was too tired to fully see what was happening but the profilers were having a silent conversation with shifting limbs and eyes.

One down and five to go. Rossi wouldn't take more than two seconds, JJ and Hotch didn't know the full story but knew enough that wouldn't cause a scene, Garcia might cry but that was expected.

She closed her eyes and tried to picture Morgan's reaction, but his face kept morphing, his eyes glowing.

Shuddering, other thoughts invaded and won.

-!-

"You can't have changed the locks that much," She was talking to the floor as she tried to shift her weight.

"Oh," His voice laced with venom.

"You think I don't recognize those eyes," she looked up and caught his gaze. Blue ice of steel but she'd melted them, more than once.

A sly smile graced her face and she arched her back, exposing her new "tattoo."

"You think I couldn't feel it-" she licked her lips.

"Je pourrais te sentir en moi,"_ (I could feel you inside me)_

He withdrew like she had slapped him. Her laugh was soft, a gentleness to her that drove him wild.

"You thought you'd surprise me with that in a bit-" a small paused, letting the words sink, "-maybe before you put a bullet in my head, " he was taking steps away from her.

"Or was that your private shame, your need to have me again," her head cocked to the side.

"Well I'm awake now," she challenged.

"NO!" The screamed ripped out of him and he left her.

Mind games. She was playing dangerous minds games.

But she was winning. She would always beat him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_"God if I have to die you will have to die" ~ Modest Mouse_

A/N: Maybe Morgan's reactions next? Or a Paris flashback? Let me know!

Oh And I'd like to thank everyone for their reviews, I had my first review within 30 minutes of posting and decided to start on the next chapter immediately!


	3. I've Got It All (Most)

**_A/N: Two updates in a day? Yeah. I did that. Also, I don't Criminal Minds. This one is for Lexis4MorganPrentiss, for reviewing both chapters and to rmpcmfan thank you, I am trying to stay true Emily's character. _**

!+

_And pray you never feel this same kind of remorse - Mumford and Sons_

Dacey would grow up to be a carbon copy of her mother, with dark hair, dark eyes and the curve of her tiny lips. But it was the nose that was slightly off, her eyebrow a shade too light, her chin would hopefully lose the baby fat to turn more of her mother's strong jaw.

Most people who looked at the her chubby baby face would never see the little details that made her Ian Doyle's daughter. But most people weren't profilers.

And it was those details that screamed at Aaron Hotchner.

"Thank you," he didn't hear her words, he was too busy torturing himself. How could he let this happen to her? Why wasn't he fast enough?

"Hotch, you did everything you could," her voice was so far away, "if you hadn't pushed to send me away, he would have known about her much sooner."

That reached him. What would have happened if Doyle had know that Emily was carrying his child? A sliver of a memory of Foyet's face came to him. Hotch also had scars. He was good that she had been safely tucked away, he conceded, he had done that much to protect her.

That eased his guilt but not by much.

She shouldn't have been in that monsters clutches in the first place.

Emily could see him batting himself and turned to JJ for help. She had decided to tackle them both at the same time, since they should have gotten a little heads up on the situation. Apparently the director had decided not to enlightened them on the Dacey situation. A snippet of information she wished she had known before coming into Hotch's office this morning.

JJ was going to be no help because she decided to have silent tears run down her cheeks and barely there shakes from suppressed sobs. Damn, she was counting her calm media liaison face here and Hotch's unshakable nature. They both decided to throw that out the window today of all days.

Rossi had been by far the easiest since she was staying at his mansion while everything got sorted out. She hadn't said a word after she had tucked in Declan and Dacey, simply walked down stairs to find a tumbler filled with scotch for her, they had sat together in silence for over an hour. Finally both called it a night, he had squeezed her hand, with a quick kiss to the her right temple and a small whisper.

"Qualunque cosa accada io sarò sempre qui per te, cara mia." (I'll always be here for you no matter what, my love.)

She smiled at the memory. She decided that night to not tell Garcia until after she helped bring her back to life on paper and kept going back on forth between telling Morgan and Garcia separately or together. Hotch and JJ weren't a good experience for mutual support here.

She rubbed her belly, right over the scar, two pair of eyes followed her movements. Damn, another bad habit to break.

"Listen to me, both of you," she took each of their hands in hers, "you two saved me, tried hard to protect me, kept my secrets. I know what's going on in your heads but I can't let you both eat you up." JJ had stopped crying as she stared at the little girl on laying in her car seat.

Emily was pacing, _buck up Prentiss_, she chided herself. It was time to pull them out of this with her final card up her sleeve.

"So, you ready to be godparents?" She saw them relax and Hotch uncharacteristically bent down to pick up Dacey, he expertly carried her. JJ had her hand on his arm, peeking over to look at little face. They both shared a look, could they get past the father? Enough to accept Dacey into their little family.

"Look, if you really want to stop feeling guilty, stop beating yourselves up on what you could have done for me and start making plans on the things you can do for her, " That sold them. JJ eyes welled up with tears and started making cooing noises, Hotch flashed her a rare dimpled smile. There it was, Dacey had godparents.

She smiled and let the memory of when she first found out about Dacey race across her mind.

++++++++++!+++++++++++

Emily had been in Paris for about a month taking Annalise Rousseau identity easily. She sometimes considered taking one of the other identities, after all Doyle knew she could speak French but she had fallen in love with city the moment she breathed in the smell that could only described as Paris.

She had finished writing her letter to Reid and her computer had finished burning the CD she made for him. She knew she'd probably never convince Mia to give him the letters but she had a more of chance of her dropping off the CD in front of his apartment.

She had been writing letters faithfully every day since she had settled in her apartment. She knew the agency would never catch Doyle, it wasn't exactly easy to arrest him the first time, the second time would be near impossible. She resigned herself to the fact that she might never see the team again but if she could, they would get her letters, she had Mia promise her that much.

Reid's were especially long; headaches, Gideon, his mother, Solaris, there was so much cover, to apologize for. She felt almost as bad as leaving him as she did Morgan but Morgan dealt with loss differently than Spencer, he would not take comfort in her letters the way Reid would.

Morgan's letters, for that reason were pathetically short but they said what she wanted them to say. That was enough for her and they would be enough for him. She glanced around the little apartment before checking the time, realizing she's had less than twenty minutes to get ready she quickly locked away all of the letters and CD in the back safe. Out the door within three minutes she left to her doctor's appointment, physical therapy was grueling but she was getting stronger, she rubbed her scar, not knowing that she was heading to see her daughter for the first time.

So lost in reminiscing her few months in France that she didn't hear the door open, hadn't realized someone had entered the room until she heard his voice.

"WHAT THE HELL?" _Damn_, she thought as she turned to face Derek Morgan.

Dacey's startled cries filled the air between them. Damn, indeed.

+!+!

_I really fucked it up this time, didn't I, my dear? - Mumford and Sons_

_ !_

**_A/N: Yeah, yeah. I didn't actual do the scene between them, but I did almost got to it! Enough reviews and I'll have it up by tomorrow._**


	4. Take Care

**A/N: Not mine, sadly. **

!+

_When I saw you I fell in love, and you smiled because you knew ~ Shakespeare_

!+

Emily Prentiss had two tattoos, one she was proud of, the other not so much. Lauren Reynolds had two tattoos, none a mistake.

Both carefully placed, hidden. Emily, because she was an Ambassadors daughter and couldn't be seen to do something so vulgar.

Lauren because her mother would also disapprove but also because they were private and it would be gift to give, if she chose to show you.

Emily knew Arabic. Lauren knew French.

Emily was a trained spy. Lauren was a gun runner.

Emily like to sing and dance. Lauren like to sing and dance.

Emily loved Tuscany. Lauren loved Tuscany.

Emily loved children. Lauren loved children.

Emily didn't believe in marriage. Lauren didn't believe in marriage.

Really, they were the same person.

Emily let the mantra run over and over in her mind like she did when she was having trouble being Lauren.

Lauren was ruthless, hard-headed, compassionate vixen. It hadn't been hard to slip into her skin. Sometimes she felt Lauren in every pore in her body, sinking herself to take over, like the manipulator she was. Emily had been in control more and more, after Ian proposed and confessed, she had come out in full force. Lauren had been having a good time taunting Liam, kissing Ian, it was Emily feeling the fear, the horrors that could possibly be in store for them.

But it had been Declan that made Emily truly come to the forefront. She had been planning Declan and Louise's' escape since she met them. She was sure she could get enough information to grant them immunity. After finding out about Declan Doyle, Lauren had disappeared completely from Emily's mind. She had been trying to make her come back, to just slip into her skin, she kept fearing that Ian would notice or worse Clyde and he'd pull her from the mission. She'd never be able to take Declan if they ended the mission so abruptly, they had to arrest Ian to make sure Declan would have time to escape.

Just a few more days. Just a few more weeks. Just a few more months.

Emily resigned herself, she had to get more information, the faster this whole thing could end. With that final thought, she let herself go and let Lauren come back from her banishment from the dark corner of her mind.

* * *

"Morgan" she reached for him but he was gone.

"Dammit," she heard JJ curse before she took after Morgan, Dacey needed to bond with her godparents anyway.

Making your way around an FBI building without attracting attention while running was much harder than it looked, Morgan had left a wake of confused faces and gossipy co-workers that led her to the men's room.

She hadn't really decided how she was going to explain the whole situation, him locking himself in the FBI's men's bathroom wasn't how she pictured it. At least he couldn't go anywhere. He couldn't fit in the air ducts and going out the window of the sixth floor wasn't his style.

She took a quick glance around and saw more than one curious glance, she glared at each one in turn, like it was their faults Morgan was in there. Hastily their heads turned away, one or two had the balls to do a double take and find her blazing eyes on them. Nobody dared shift their eyes to her.

Good, an angry Prentiss was probably the best one to deal with Morgan. The rest of the team might need her to be soft spoken, understanding Emily but Morgan needed an ass kicking before she showed that side.

!+

With one final glare around the floor, she kicked open the bathroom, walked in and prepared to for the onslaught.

"This is the men's room Agent Prentiss."

"Hello there, Agent Williams, Anderson."

"Agent," the men responded.

"Uh, I was looking for Agent Morgan-" _well that was awkward_, "-uh Agent Hotchner needs him to report to the office."

She was glaring full forced at the locked stall in the far right, like she could burn a hole and see Morgan listening in to the conversation.

"Was it really necessary to kick in the door?"

She turned her glare at the men at the sink, done playing nice.

"Get out." her voice was soft, sweet and entirely too dangerous. Any thought of protest died the moment she spoke. Both quickly shuffled out with a weird jerk of the head meant to be a nod and a mumbled "agent."

She sent a another glare at the closed door before turning it the now open stall. Morgan was leaning on the door looking at her with haunted eyes.

"Please tell me you had a fling in Paris."

"I had many flings in Paris, Derek but none of them led to Dacey." He closed his eyes and shook his head, like he could banish her words.

"This is not your fault," he looked at her like she grown an extra head.

"Not my fault," he said the words like a bad taste in his mouth. So quick she couldn't stop it, he punched the wall. She heard a crack but he just looked at his hands.

"Morgan!" She rushed to him, taking his hands in hers, he didn't recoil just stared.

"Come on," She led him out, muttering about Garcia killing her.

Outside the bathroom door were JJ carrying Dacey, Hotch, Rossi and Reid, shifting around as if they could hide the fact they had been eavesdropping.

_Profilers should cover better_, she thought as she led Morgan away. The rest of the team following like baby ducks except Reid who was on Morgan's other side talking about fractures, treatments and painkillers. But Morgan didn't say a word or turn to look at anyone.

JJ passed Dacey to Rossi and muttered something about getting Garcia.

* * *

Emily buckled in Dacey into her car-seat with Rossi volunteering to wait to drive JJ and Garcia, Hotch and Reid climbed to either side of Dacey while Morgan took shotgun and Emily drove in silence. Even Reid had finished his rambling about fractures and Hotch alternative with giving a disapproving stare at Morgan and glancing at Dacey protectively.

Emily would have laughed and she hadn't been doing the same. Every red light she would look at her daughter in the rear-view mirror and then turn to look at Morgan. She didn't know how to approach the silent brooding Morgan, she should have told him first.

* * *

Morgan had two small fractures in right middle knuckle down. He was getting it wrapped when Garcia burst through the waiting room like a colorful angry butterfly.

"Why is it always my chocolate god?" She thundered, Rossi took this time to meet her and probably quiet her down as JJ approached Emily.

"I tried telling her in the car, but she was too preoccupied with Morgan, " she muttered quietly, Emily nodded. A little disappointing that she'd still have to tell her.

At that moment Hotch decided to walk over to the two women, to give Dacey to Emily.

It was then that Garcia finally took in her surroundings, capturing the moment like camera.

"Emily? Please tell me that you had a fling with Hotch before you took your trip to Paris." Her "trip" to Paris. _Nice Garcia._

Garcia would make a good profiler but it was in the thing that she missed that everyone else had noticed, Dacey's nose, not Emily's or Hotch's or any Frenchmen she might have encountered during her "trip."

"Garcia" JJ's scandalized voice reproached her. She couldn't see Hotch is disapproving face but she could feel it, though it had no effect whatsoever on Garcia bloodhound trail.

Rossi placed a hand on her arm, giving her a measured look.

Garcia looked at his hand, glancing at JJ's, Emily and Hotch's in turn and finally on Dacey's.

Reid whispered a sad, "Doyle." But there was no need it had already clicked in Garcia's mind, she stared, shook her head once, looked down, looked up and promptly burst into tears.

* * *

Morgan to come out of the darkness in his mind, so far he had been on autopilot, silently brooding, horrible thought festering like open wounds.

He couldn't find his feeling in this whole situation, was he happy for his friend? Or angry?

He couldn't begin to know what to feel about Emily being alive, how was he supposed to deal with her being alive and with a child?

And then there was the self loathing to deal with. Something that he was sure would never go away.

Hatred for Ian Doyle was the only thing that rivaled it. How could he ever look at _"Dacey's"_ face?

Still brooding he considering leaving the hospital by a back elevator but it seemed like too much effort and all he really wanted was to go home and drink.

Still preoccupied he mentally prepared himself as he opened the doors to the waiting room, being careful with his newly wrapped fingers.

"Oh," they were all there, Garcia holding the little girl and crying her mascara running, Rossi and Reid were nursing cups of coffee. JJ sat next Garcia, rubbing small circles on her back, Hotch stared him down but Emily was nowhere to be found.

A part of him was relived, the other part disappointed, just because he was mad didn't mean she couldn't be there for him.

"Don't look like a petulant child, it doesn't suit you." There she was, coming out of the elevator, Declan in tow, both carrying armfuls of snacks and bottled drinks.

"You and I, have to talk Morgan," Hotch voice rang out. "Now."

* * *

_An ocean of difference exist between making love and being made by it ~ Tyler Knott Gregson_

**A/N: He'll come around I promise. I wanted to explore Lauren more in this one but we got past him knowing, now we got to get to the healing. **

**rmpcmfan: he is the toughest nut to crack! **

**Thank you again to all my reviewers and especially Lexis4MorganPrentiss and rmlawson78! **


	5. Rolling Stone

**A/N: Longest chapter and longest wait, I know I'm sorry! But I don't own it. I think this will be about 10 chapter long, so we're half way there. **

_A family can develop only with a loving woman as its center ~ Karl Wilhelm Friedrich Schlegel_

* * *

Lauren woke up the fingers graciously moving up her spine, she propped her head up and turned to find the source of this wake up call. She found Ian looking down at her, so tenderly, his hand came up to her face, a single stroke across her face,

"Hello love,"

"Good morning, Ian," her voice groggy but there was a smile on her face.

He bent down for a quick kiss, that she deepened. He pulled away laughing, muttering "you'll be the death of me" before straightening up and looking at her seriously.

"Marry me," Emily sighed inside her mind, he kept springing that up at random times, Lauren was always very smooth about postponing the discussion of when they'd actually get married so he tried different tactics, today it seemed to be half asleep Lauren.

Before Lauren could scramble up a respond they both looked up at the sound of little feet and laughter, Declan.

He burst into the room and jumped in the bed, "Time to play!" was his animated greeting as he tried in vain to move her. Lauren smiled a mischievous grin at Doyle and promptly pretended to fall back to sleep, even adding snoring sounds. She heard Declan sigh in annoyance.

"Daddy! Play time!" She opened her eyes just a crack to make sure Declan was safe, he had never seen Doyle punish Declan but it didn't mean he couldn't start today. He had just interrupted a very important discussion but to her relief Ian was smiling as he took in his son and the smiling women in the bed.

"Sure, son, how about you go play hide and seek and we'll go and find you,"

"No peeking" his little face was stern, Lauren grinned wider.

"No peeking," was Ian's solemn oath, Declan scampered off the bed, giggling, as Ian covered his eyes and started counting,

When they no longer heard his little footsteps he turned to look at her, she burst out laughing at his face.

"Well, that should give us about twenty minutes,"

"Oh, oh, pick me, I know what we can do in twenty minutes," it was his turn to laugh.

"Little she devil," he dragged her over across his lap, "I bet you can, oh" she had started kissing his neck.

"Lauren," he voice was laced with want but he also a warning.

She separated from him with a pout.

"We were having a discussion," her pout intensified.

"Did you mean it when you said you'd get me out?" That stopped her cold, Emily bursting into the forefront.

"Of course," was her breathless response.

"You'd come with us?" He said it like a statement, but there was a question there.

"Yes," her eyes got wide. He traced a finger down her belly.

"Do you consider it," he asked again.

"Yes," her voiced filled with longing, was it Emily or Lauren talking, she didn't know.

"A family," his hands reached for the necklace now.

"A family," she recited and then, "you mean it?"

He gave her a piercing look, she was afraid she had crossed some line but then he smiled.

"Yes, love." Giving her a kiss that sent Emily scampering away and Lauren's toes curl.

_ A family_, Emily knew she was in trouble but Lauren didn't care.

Two weeks later, he was arrested. While she picked the flowers in the garden, for their wedding.

* * *

"What did I say Morgan, this was about saving Emily." Hotch was furious with subordinate.

"Well we did that and now we have to accept the consequences-" Dacey was a consequence, "-would you rather she'd be dead?"

The question hung in the air like a poisonous gas.

"Ask yourself that, search for how you really feel and then you can talk to her-" he sighed and placed an understanding hand on his shoulder, this was something that everyone had to get used to.

"Until then you are not allowed near my goddaughter or her mother," there was a finality and a warning in that statement.

And Hotch left him there alone with his thoughts.

* * *

Emily had been Lauren for one year and eight months and had died in a car accident.

Sometimes it was Lauren's ghost that haunted her not Ian's.

Emily knew what a monster Ian Doyle was, Lauren was the monster she became. Lauren had come to Emily more and more since she spoke to Sean, in Paris she had tried to convince her to bring Declan to Paris and restart their lives together but there was too much danger.

And now with Dacey, Lauren resurfaced like she was coming back to life, the child she had wanted with Ian. But Emily wanted her daughter no matter the father, she had dealt with her roaring emotions over Dacey's patronage, that lonely day in her Paris apartment.

She had written the whole team and extra letter but there was nobody to help her but Lauren. So she had come back in her mind a gleeful ghost.

Emily was put Dacey down for her afternoon nap, she could here Declan and Rossi talking about the merits of soccer versus lacrosse. Smiling she came down and was immediately bombarded by Declan.

"When can I go back to school, mom? I've been missing practice!"

"We talked about this _tesoro_, next week after we settled everything with police and I talk to that school about safety protocol."

"You can have the school test for tainted food-" Rossi's stopped talking as he saw her face.

"Yes, I can."

"Mom!" She melted on the spot. Lauren was dead set for Declan staying with them, but Emily couldn't deny him anything when he was five much less at twelve.

"How about you staying with your friend, Ben? Do you want to go back so soon? You wouldn't be able to come back until all of this is sorted." She really didn't want him to go but if he was truly healing, ready for sports and school, she wouldn't stop him.

"Yeah, Ben's mom makes oatmeal chocolate chip cookies from scratch." S_o do I_, she thought sadly.

"Ok, Ok I'm going to call Ben's mom first, _tesoro_, don't get too excited," but Declan was already running upstairs to pack.

"He's a good kid, he's dealing with and moving on."

"I know, Dave," _I just don't want to let him go,_ she added silently. She didn't have to say it out loud, he knew.

"Come on let's make cookies!" He put in so much cheer in his voice that it made her laugh out loud.

And they did, arrangements for Declan to stay on campus and at Ben's on the weekend were made, cookies were baked by the time Dacey woke up.

Declan, Dacey and Emily had some family moments, some that Rossi managed to catch on camera. Dancing together and making hot chocolate, Declan holding his sister and saying goodbye.

"You'll send me pictures?" His face clouded in indecision, he apparently forgotten that he would not keep his sister at school.

"Of course, _tesoro_, we'll be up there soon too, remember I'm buying a house close to your school," Emily still had to talk to her friend Tom on how the custody would happen, Declan was twelve he could choose to go back to his him.

She sighed and smiled, "Come on it's time to get going."

Both Lauren and Emily cried silent tears.

* * *

Morgan woke up to the sound of a knock at the door, he wondered if it was Hotch or Emily but when he opened the door he found none other than Spencer Reid.

"Reid," but he didn't respond, just walked in and closed the door.

"I'm here to talk about Emily." was his statement and he looked at Morgan and for the first time in a long time he saw anger in them.

"I don't need a lecture,"

"You're not getting one-" he was pulling something from his messenger bag and he placed a giant stack of letters, addressed to _My special genies, Reid_ on his coffee table, he leaned over and saw Emily's handwriting. Reid was pulling something else out while looking for something around his house, finally finding the stereo system, he inserted a CD in and adjusted the volume. Morgan recognized That Smell by Led Zeppelin come from his speakers, he raised his eyes at Reid.

"Didn't know you were into rock,"

"I wasn't," he handed over a note, also in Emily's script.

_Never forget it, or it will surely kill you._

_You struggled, you overcame_

_You are stronger than it._

_Don't let loss beat you._

On the back was a list of songs, Morgan guessed it was the other songs on the CD.

"Emily made her contact promise to get me this note, maybe not the CD but the note for sure," he looked at him with bright eyes, "Emily understood me, my brain, my feelings, she knew what her _death_," he said the word like a curse, "what it would do to me. From the grave, Morgan, she was trying to protect me."

He sighed and his voice changed. "I'm glad JJ and Hotch didn't tell me, I don't think I could have stayed away from her, knowing she was alive and I would have put her in danger. Hotch, left his son, to another continent to protect that secret, JJ stayed away for seven months and lied to all of us to protect Emily. So this isn't about you Morgan. The only person who considers your feeling is her, and you are wasting time being mad."

He pulled out another stack of letters, these were addressed to Derek_, my partner, my friend_.

"She asked me to give you these," but he didn't, slid them back into his messenger bag.

"But I'm not going to," again angry eyes, "I don't think you deserve them"

Morgan recoiled like he had been slapped. "You are not the only one that feels betrayed and angry, not the only one that thinks we should have tortured him, the one who hopes he is burning in hell, and I don't even believe in hell, Morgan!"

"But," his voice had turned soft, "I can't take it out on Emily, I'm not wasting a single minute being angry at her."

"What she did was stupid,"

"Yes, she, a trained spy, ran into her enemies hands and almost died, after suffering all kinds of torture," Reid voice had take a conversational tone, like they could be talking about the weather.

"If you ever read these letters or maybe talk to her, maybe you'd understand why she did the things she did, whether you agree with them or not, and maybe she'll tell you it wasn't all her choice to fake her death and leave us. And maybe when you get your head out your ass Morgan, you'll see that we have Emily back and everything else doesn't matter."

The song had changed, he saw Reid close his eyes, like he was absorbing the music and like that his anger was gone.

"I'm giving the letters back to Emily, if you want to read them, ask her for them." Silence fell as he took his CD and left him with his thoughts.

* * *

_Resentment is like taking poison and waiting for the other person to die ~ Malachy McCourt_

* * *

**A/N: I feel like the team is wearing Morgan down so he doesn't have to fight her, because really Emily has to deal with her own demons adding Morgan to the mix, she might just break. **

**Thanks to all my awesome faithful reviewers! You are awesome and keep me going! **

**On that note! Review! **


	6. Come Together

**A/N-Disclaimer: Uhh, don't own it. I'm not sure where I'm going with this, any suggestions? **

* * *

_Parents were the only ones obligated to love you; from the rest of the world you had to earn it ~ Ann Brashares_

!+

* * *

Dacey had been fed, burped, changed and dressed in a ruffled black dress with laced up baby ballet flats matching her mother's own black tie affair dress. Grabbing the designer diaper bag and checking it one more time to make sure she had absolutely everything.

"You ready to meet grandma?" Looking down at her perfectly passive baby, who's eyes were solely focused on her geometric mobile spinning lazily above her, she looked over to the sound of her mother's voice and gurgled happily.

"Yeah, you're a happy little baby, aren't you?" Smiling at her daughter, she carried her downstairs to wait for the car her mother sent for her, Rossi offered one of her cars to use but she had declined, she owed him a lot and didn't want to add anymore debt.

"It's not too late to change your mind," She heard Rossi snort,

"The Ambassador, didn't like me the first or second time we met, I doubt that this day will be any different." Emily pouted as she fastened Dacey into her car seat, and fastened the car seat into the stroller.

"You're really good at that you know,"

"Practice makes perfect," she raised an eyebrow. "You want to try?"

He laughed out a "no." And she smiled down, "Grampa Dave is a mean old grinch, Dacey."

She gurgled again and stuck out her tongue, she heard the camera shutter and turned to stick out her tongue at Dave and promptly heard the next shutter.

"Grampa Dave is the best," he leaned down and made a face at her, "Don't let you mother poison you mind, _piccolo._" He earned a giggle his efforts as they heard the car pull up.

"There's are chariot _margherit_a," and out the door they went, waving at Rossi and to the driver who held the door open, he reached for the car seat but she waved away his hand. "I'll take the car seat, take the stroller," she commanded and was halfway through buckling in Dacey when she realized she had sounded like Lauren talking to servants.

"Lauren Reynolds is dead," she spoke to her daughter more forcefully than normal but Dacey just stared back at her. She could see Lauren and Ian's eyes dance across her daughters, she blinked and they were gone. _Ghost haunting her_, she thought as she buckled herself in, and wished them away.

* * *

Morgan woke up with a stiff neck and pins in his right leg, he winced as he tried to stand, his leg complaining. With a grunt, he lifted himself of his couch and took baby steps to wake up his leg. He looked at the clock, and groaned, ten o clock. It was a good thing the whole team was suspended otherwise he would have been late to work. He thought about the hearing coming up soon and wondered how well he was going to handle that.

He wasn't handling anything very well recently.

Last night after Reid had left him, he had spent all night twisting his words in his head, above all he saw the letters in her handwriting both stack were so big, if he had to guess there were over four hundred in each pile.

_"Not a single day went by without me- really you didn't deserve that." her words echoed in his head. _

_"We have Emily back and everything else doesn't matter" Reid this time. _

Morgan grabbed his keys and pulled on a jacket, hoping Rossi would let him in. He had once thought they were all protective of Emily in their own way, he was coming to realize that everyone rallied around that woman, and he was about to see how protective Rossi really was.

* * *

Emily found the long drive down the driveway to the Prentiss Estate so daunting, memories big enough to drive Lauren away. Dacey was fast asleep, looking so angelic as she slept that she felt the tension leave her briefly.

Lauren came back as soon as she looked away and started picking at the memories that were slowly driving her insane. Prodding at Emily's seven year old self, when her grandmother died.

Hissing at fifteen year old Emily's decisions.

Finally finding herself and Ian, she kept bringing up his memory, on the floor in a pool of blood.

_The only man to love you for everyone you were,_ Lauren taunted her. Lauren and Emily argued this point a lot, Emily insisted that her team loved her, Lauren would say they didn't count. Emily was not in the mood to fight Lauren's words of how she was truly a monster and unlovable- not when she was about to go see her mother. The feelings of indifference were already reach her, she quickly found Dacey's little chunky hands.

Something her daughter had the uncannily ability to save her when she was close to her breaking point, "You keep the crazy away, little one."

Finally they pulled up and she saw the driver scramble to get the stroller out of the trunk as she unbuckled the car seat and was about to open the door when they it flew open, the stroller ready and upright for Dacey. She made sure she was secure and made sure to tip the man extremely well, as an apology.

She had arrived fifteen minutes early but her mother was waiting for her, "Mother," was going to be her stiff greeting but before it escaped her lips, her mother had rushed over and enveloped her in a hug. To say she was shocked by this public display affection was an understatement but she hugged back automatically.

"Oh Emily," he mother said and Emily had another shock as she heard the repressed tears, her mother's hands came to cradle her face. "I knew you were alive of course, they let me know but..." she stroked her face, "it's good to see your face, sweetheart." Her voice started to sound more like the Ambassador that Emily knew.

"Mother," was the only thing she was able to get out as a turret of emotions washed over her, at the moment Dacey let coo from her spot next to them.

"Oh," There was surprise but not as much as Emily was expecting.

"Meet your granddaughter, Dacey," Her mother went straight to the little girl instantly bending her head over her.

"Hello there," She picked her up gently, "Oh she's beautiful, where did you get this outfit?" Emily laughed out loud, Dacey was adorable, the outfit she wore just brought it out more of her baby fat.

"You were briefed on Dacey." It was statement, her mother nodded but she held Dacey close and watched her chubby hand come up to grab her hair. Her mother expertly moved her and caught her hand to place a kiss on it, it was so natural, like it was with Emily.

"We match," Her mother looked down and smiled.

"So we do," Emily had forgotten how much she looked like her mother but the three Prentiss women, all in black, dark eyes, dark hair, pale skin, curved lips and striking eyebrows, it was there.

"I think this needs to photographed," it was an open invitation which her mother positively beamed at, "I'll call Natalie, she can be here in thirty minutes." Natalie, the family photographer.

Emily smiled a little hesitantly but followed her mother into the patio for their arranged lunch meeting. Finding that the small talk flowed freely with not a trace of awkwardness. Dacey was good at that too.

* * *

Morgan had arrived at Rossi's ten minutes ago and still had not left his car, he was trying to gather his thoughts but they kept slipping away. And they scattered farther away as he heard a tap on his window. Rossi stood there looking amused but he had a shotgun in his hand. Morgan scrambled out of the car, "Jesus, Rossi!" There was a twinkle in his eye.

"You know this is private property," that cracked a smile out him.

"You know my car, Rossi, the gun isn't necessary."

"I'm old, you can't blame me for forgetting a few detail, you're lucky I'm not senile, I might have shot first." Morgan put his head in his hands,

"I came to apologize to her," Silence, he looked up to see him no longer smiling and the twinkle gone.

"She's not here at the moment but come in," he was tempted to ask where she was but knew better. They walked in silence and he watched the older profiler dismantle his gun and place it in his gun safe.

"Where is she?" Rossi smiled and led him into another room, Morgan took a look at the computer and the giant monitor it was hooked up to.

"I'm working on a project for her," he clicked a button and picture showed up in the giant wall monitor.

"Oh," Morgan said as he saw the sonogram, five seconds later a picture of two little feet, of Dacey wrapped up by the Eiffel Tower, and so it went, document of the little girl's life, sometimes Emily was in them, smiling happily, her eyes bright and so in love with the little girl in her arms. Suddenly there was some with Declan, him holding his baby sister, falling asleep on Emily, Emily and Declan dancing, cookie batter, video games with Rossi, a pillow fight and then Morgan did a double take as he saw the Ambassador holding Dacey, another one with Emily, all three of them in black dresses, the resemblance was comical, replicas of each other.

"So mom got Natalie to send you the pictures," Emily's voice broke the spell, the revelations going on in Morgan's mind.

"Emily," he turned and found her leaning on the door frame with Dacey on her hip, both still in the outfits on the screen.

"It came out nice Rossi, still think were missing one with her godparents, but it's wonderful," she was purposefully avoiding looking at Morgan and he knew it was up to him to make this right.

"I am so sorry, Emily." Finally their eyes locked, so many emotions played across her face.

"May I?" He gestured at Dacey, she nodded and walked over, he gently took the little girl from her mother's arms.

"Hey there," he looked down in the eyes and confirmed what he had seen on the screen, Emily's eyes.

The epiphany came back in full force.

"I'm your Uncle Derek, Dacey, and you are not allowed to date until I die, deal?" Dacey "goo ku" gurgle her happy response, he looked up to see Emily crying and Rossi patting her arm.

"About damn time," we're Rossi's encouraging words to him.

* * *

_When everything goes to hell, the people who stand by you without flinching - they are your family. Jim Butcher_

* * *

!+

**A/N: Yeah, Morgan! And family love. Review!**

You know the drill, no spaces and dots 's outfit :

charming necessities (d o t) c o m / item (underscore) / Old - Holly wood - Feather - Head band - Black - and - White (d o t) h t m


	7. Time is Running Out

**No, I don't own it. But I would like to thank Lexis4MorganPrentiss, eliianna, rmlawson78 and rmpcmfan for their encouraging reviews and awesome support. I would like to thank everyone who favorites and put this story on their alert list. **

**This story wouldn't be here without you guys. **

* * *

_Too many voices and too many people trying to bring me down ~ She Wants Revenge_

!+

* * *

Clyde had worked over time for a week and half, after he got wind of Lauren Reynolds and Ian Doyle's wedding planning, Emily had made sure to leave a trail, he had one month before that date and he was going to make sure that day never came. So many people were involved, so much paper work, Tsia was easily his best worker.

"Emily will never marry anyone unless I am the maid of honor," were her exact words before she buried herself in work, they had to make an arrest, they had to have enough information to lock up Doyle and kill Lauren.

Jeremy was working on Lauren's escape plan in case they couldn't arrest him, they'd stop the wedding for sure.

And it was in that morning that he got his fax.

"Tsia," was all he said as he saw the approved stamped over there profile. Tsia jumped up and all but tore the paper out of his hand.

"Oh thank god," she said and immediately called Sean to update him and plan to meet Emily.

"Jeremy, how are we on killing Lauren?" He smiled as he signed some papers and started faxing them.

"I think we're ready, Tsia, we need a car." She smiled back, "Let's bring our girl home."

* * *

Emily had been debriefed and kept in a room for over three hours and she was doing well, passing on a great deal of information, filling the holes that they had missed in certain points. She had been told how Lauren was going to die and how they had Doyle's men watching the building, she was a gun runner after all, they had to make all of this convincing. Tsia and Sean were supposed to take her in car ride that Lauren wouldn't survive.

Doyle's men were supposed to her a "private" conversation between officers on how Lauren refused to talk and had attacked one of the men transporting her to her new prison. Doyle would remember Lauren fondly of the women who would literally die before betraying his trust.

But Emily was getting impatient, all her training to her she was fine, that there was nothing wrong, her gut was telling her that Lauren had to die soon. She had to move, the faster Lauren died the faster she could get to Declan, she needed Tsia and she needed her now. Finally after ten minutes of pacing the door opened and she saw Tsia right before she rushed over. So suddenly she was hugged and touches in her hair.

"I like this color," Emily laughed long and hard.

"It's good to see you too, Tsia." She grinned at her and she grinned back, she could trust Tsia, Tsia was her best friend, Tsia wouldn't fail Emily.

"Tsia, where did they take the staff?" Tsia looked at her with questioning eyes and she tried telling her in a look that this was important and Lauren's death could wait few minutes. Tsia nodded her understanding, Emily didn't give her specifics, Tsia didn't want details, she wouldn't be able to betray her if she didn't know.

After a few phone calls it was set up, she would meet Declan in the states when it was safe, Tsia could shuffle paperwork like magic, and now for her final trick, "Lauren Reynolds died in car accident. Lauren Reynolds is dead."

* * *

The hearing with the committee was grueling, relieving some of the worst moment of their lives and the pain and loss of Emily Prentiss all over again. Neither Dacey or Declan custody were mentioned and she was glad, she still had to work out a few details with Tom. Garcia had with a little help of the Ambassador brought Emily back to life, and with the help of Hotch and his skills she had altered her trust fund to include Dacey and Declan. Everything was falling into place, all they needed was the committee to see reason and let them get on with their lives.

Then Strauss gave her them the news, the relief was swept across the room. Then she asked Emily if she wanted to come back, she hadn't been sure. She had so much to take care of and to do, she wasn't exactly sure what she wanted to do with her new found life.  
She wasn't the girl who had defeated Ian Doyle and wanted to do more good in the world and join the BAU, she'd come a long way from that. But she agreed to come back after that moment of hesitation.

And now the aftermath at Rossi's. He insisted everyone be there, like a family.

!+

The night had being going on without a hitch, the initial awkwardness was slowly making it's way out the door as Garcia and JJ made plans for play dates and shopping trips. Spencer was talking to Hotch about the merits of The Beatles, The White Album, but it was Rossi that had caught her attention. He was staring directly at Morgan, not even to try the fact that he was watching hold Dacey, she smiled at his over-protectiveness.

She should have seen the shift coming but she wasn't watching like Rossi was.

Morgan handed her Dacey and came up to Rossi before she could stop the confrontation it had begun.

"I'm not going to hurt her," came the too loud accusation. Rossi's face was passive but he's voice sarcastic.

"I doubt that." Morgan's face twisted in anger and he paced.

"I'm not exactly happy about all of this but I'm getting past it, Rossi." Emily hadn't realized she was reaching for my purse until she had it in her hand.

Morgan wouldn't hurt Dacey, Emily was sure of that. But there was growing sense of danger growing.

"You see what I see when I see that girls face, you all do," Morgan had turned his gaze on the team, a few guilty looks crossed faced but Emily ignored them all.

"Rossi," she had found herself in front of the older profiler, "I was made for this."

She paused to collect her thoughts, "Spencer was tortured because he got separated from JJ, that was his only mistake, everything after that was not his choice it was the unsub and he has to live with the consequences of just one action he took for the rest of his life." Spencer's left hand automatically grabbed his right elbow, like he could hide the track marks that were no longer there.

"Penelope was shot for trying to help families find closure and she will always live with that wound and all the people she couldn't save or help and the man who died doing his job protecting her home." Taking a breath she continued, "Morgan, lives with his monsters every day. Decisions he made, things he could have done if he had just a few more seconds. Everyone here has demons. But Hotch" she turned to his for the first time,

"You know what happens when they come after your family. Do you ever wonder what he was thinking after he shot Haley? I did, I walked into that scene and wondered how hard he looked for Jack or when he made the decision to move her to the bedroom. Did he want Jack dead too? When did he make the decision not to kill him but hide?" She turned away.

"Every thing you we has an effect, and I made so many decisions that have haunted me my entire life and things that will continue haunting me until I die," she was talking to the her family, the one who shared all secrets and all burdens.

"I still see them, I see Ian every time I look at Declan and Lauren in Dacey." She stared blankly at the wall.

"Don't you dare say a word about what you see, Derek Morgan, my devils live within my children and I love them, more than you can even imagine, I love them more than air and the ground they walk on."

Emily didn't make the decision to run but she did. Bolted out of the room with Dacey in my hand, her little giggle an odd sound in the stunned silence by the time Derek responded she was out the door and he was left with his hand outstretched.

They could have caught up when she put Dacey in her car seat, it wouldn't have been hard to stop her but they didn't. Emily was pretty sure Rossi stopped them, truly she'd be lost without that man. The only one who didn't hold a grudge against all the actions she had made. He had made bigger mistakes and lived on, she would do the same.

She didn't really know where she was going until she reached the big iron gates.

"I guess we're visiting your dad, little one."

* * *

Lauren was fuming in her mind, she didn't want to die and she could care less what Emily had to say to her about it. She had been furious when they had faked Declan's death. It had been three days since he had gotten on that plane and Lauren had been throwing a tantrum in her mind. Migraines, that's what she called them when someone asked what was wrong but Clyde just padded her shoulder and handed her the paperwork. She was ready to be part of the BAU the instant she had resigned the JTF-12 but Lauren had to leave her first. So Emily did the only thing she could think of, she let Lauren out.

For a while Lauren yelled and when she had exhausted every curse that they knew, she gave Emily the silent treatment which left with the most peace she had in weeks that she managed to sleep for about two hours before she awakened again. This time she was heartbroken and Emily's heart broke with her.

"This hardly feels like victory," she told herself and Lauren agreed.

* * *

Emily had been sitting on Tsia's grave for about 10 minutes, talking about Dacey and apologizing. Finally, when she couldn't come up with anything else to say, she stood. "I wished you could have met her." Patting the grave she walked on a few more rows and turning to the left.

After what seem to be an eternity of labyrinth turns she found herself at Ian Doyle's grave. He was supposed to be cremated but she couldn't allow Declan not to have a place to see his father again, he hadn't asked her for it but he cried at the grave when she took him to see it. She sat in the mound, the flowers that Declan had awkwardly place in the grave, slowly dying, lay there mocking her.

"You got him," she sighed an adjusted Dacey, she had been asleep this whole time and Emily wasn't sure how long that would last.

"I'm going to tell Dacey the same thing I told Declan about you, that you loved them more than anything in the world," she confessed to the grave and Lauren suddenly appeared in her mind.

"It doesn't mean that you were a good person but you loved them." Lauren wanted her to confess her love her him but Emily didn't love Ian Doyle. She was disgusted with the person he was and the things he had done.  
Emily knew the monster that lurked behind his eyes. They reminded her of Frank. Lauren and the children of Jane.

Monsters couldn't love, they tried so hard, obsessed over them but the love wasn't real.

Lauren wasn't real either.

Dacey started to stir, "Goodbye Lauren."

* * *

_I wanted freedom, bound and restricted. I tried to give you up but I'm addicted ~ Muse_

* * *

**Review. **


	8. Red Rag Top

**A/N: Over 2000 words, sorry about the wait! My muse went away, it's coming to an end now and she took a vacation. I'll answer review questions at the end! Thank you, thank, thank you for reviewing! It took me forever to find out the name of pub where Emily and Doyle first met! And no I don't own it!**

* * *

_ Whatever their bodies do affects their souls ~ C.S. Lewis_

!+

Ian Doyle was waiting in the back of The Black Shamrock pub waiting a on women named Lauren, a gun runner he was supposed to meet. According to Fahey, the girl was smoking hot, Ian's lip curled at the language and played with the idea of introducing Fahey to vocabulary lessons. Smirking he wondered about Lauren, not a Maggie or Scarlet, he knew she was brunette so red headed Irish girl was out of the question, he had a soft spot for brunettes and that worried him.

Ian Doyle was known for going into extremes when it came to women.

He was frowning when he felt the change in the room, he didn't need the signal to know, she was here. He turned slightly in the shadows to see what the fuss was all about, when his eyes rested on her his mind went blank.

Smoking hot didn't even begin to cover it. He tested the name in his mind with the women walking across the bar.

Lauren Reynolds had a walk to her, her lips curved up in smirk showed of a pout that left you craving to taste her. But it was the eyes that caught and held him. They found his, hidden in the shadows and he felt himself sink a little lower. Her eyes beckoned him, he saw her teeth sink into her bottom lip and found himself walking to the bar. By the time he reached Fahey, she was sitting in the designated back booth, making him chase her and a secret dancing across her eyes, teasing him.

Ian Doyle followed the twinkle in her eye to hell, trying to catch it, to find it, to unravel it, to relish in it. The part of Lauren he could never touch.

It took him seven years of hell to realize it was Emily Prentiss burning behind Lauren's eyes.

* * *

She walked over to the car, seeing the man in the passenger seat she jumped back reaching for a gun that wasn't on her hip. She snapped out of quickly,

"Damn Rossi, couldn't be anywhere else?" She demanded, he just had to be in the cursed car.

"Well it is my car you know," _smartass_, she thought.

"How'd you get here?"

"Cab."

"How'd you find me?" He actually laughed out loud.

"If you think for a second that Garcia doesn't have an active trace on you at all times." _Damn_, she thought, _should have dumped my cell. _

His eyes softened and patted the driver's seat, she slid in and started bucking Dacey in.

"Are they ever going to get it over it?" Her back was turned and she whispered but he heard her.

"It will take a little time, you know our boys," she did, JJ and Garcia were women and didn't care if these children had been concocted in a French lab with Charles Manson, Ted Bundy and Ian Doyle's DNA, as long as Emily was happy, the blondes would be happy.

The boys on the other hand.

"Reid's not even a alpha male," he chuckled.

"No but he wishes he had seen the signs, he feeling incapable of doing his job when he missed so much and from what I gather he's reliving what happened with Elle Greenaway. Maybe if he had pushed you would have opened up and maybe if he had said something. someone else might have helped him help you." Emily frowned, she had addressed all of the above in her letters, she knew they weren't going to magically heal him but all the same she wished she could have done more.

"Now Hotch," he continued, "tried so hard to protect you, he lied to his team, did everything in his power to keep the team together including requesting a transfer out of the team but he couldn't protect you from the things that happened to you in that warehouse." Emily knew she would never in her lifetime be repay Aaron Hotchner for the things he did for her, making her Dacey godfather was absolutely nothing, if anything she was adding more things to be in debt for, she inwardly groaned, she had made him help with her will and trust fund, too.

But Rossi had left the worst for last,

"Garcia hacked your real medical records." Bad thoughts about what Emily was going to do with Garcia and her cursed computer ran through her mind quickly, already formulating a plan of how to deal with the nosy tech goddess when Rossi spoke again.

"And she gave them to Morgan," They will never find the body, just a note saying that she ran off to Italy.

"And he gave them to me," Emily actually hissed, Garcia's murder slowly forming more clearly in her head.

"Before you kill her," _too late_, she thought. "I asked Morgan for them."

"Why Dave?" She asked a bit hopelessly as she stared at her hands.

"I had to know," he shrugged.

"Did it change anything?" She bit her lip.

"It helped," she raised her head to meet his eyes, silently asking him to continue.

"This thing we're feeling is temporary, we'll heal, now we know the whole truth and we get passed it, we couldn't with half truths and nobody wanted to hear you recount anything. I think that might break Garcia." Her eyes narrowed at the techs name but she thought about trying to sit and talk about all that had happened to her and felt queasy.

"Morgan would never hurt Dacey," she told him, she knew it was true. Rossi nodded.

"I didn't think he would, I didn't want him to make a scene," he smirked at her, "but I didn't have to worry, you maker that point pretty damn moot." Emily blushed. But she looked at him and took a breath, he looked back no trace of joking. It was time.

"For a long time, after Italy I would have nightmares about the baby-" Dave silently squeezed her hand, "-when I was Ian, the nightmares morphed and the baby I gave up would always look like Declan, I was there for his fifth birthday and he was so small and full of life." She paused and caught her breath, "I refused to not let it be a big deal and all day affair, with pony rides and a moon bounce and water slide was brought in for the pool, Ian would laugh when I would wake him up in the middle of the night with a brand new idea for the party-" she pressed her lips together.

"He asked me to marry him three days after the party, he said I was a born mother, all I could think about was what would have happened if I told my mother about the baby."

Rossi never made a noise or an attempt to interrupt, just stroked her hand.

"After Ian told me about Declan's mother, ready to die than have his baby, I thought about, that could have been me-" Rossi kept stroking her hand. "I faced that same choice in Paris, bring Ian Doyle's child to life," she frowned. "But that was nothing, nothing compared to bringing my daughter to life." She sighed letting go of the memories in a single breath.

"I couldn't do it again Rossi, look at her," he turned to look at the baby in the car seat, sitting peacefully watching the two adults with eyes so much like her mother, aware, curious, wary. She caught his heart all over again.

"_Cara mia_, she is a great gift and I won't let anyone take that from you." There was something in his tone that made Emily smile.

"I know," she smiled at him, one lone tear making its way down her cheek.

"Why do you think I'm crashing at your place," she laughed as she turned the key, heading home.

* * *

Emily sat in a bed in Bethesda watching the two men in suits watch her, she wanted to roll her eyes but that would get her nowhere fast. They had been waiting for her to wake up to question her, that had not gone as planned and now they waited for JJ, Emily refused to talk until she got there.

Emily had wanted a Hotch for his legal background but she had been shot down. She knew they were purposely keeping JJ away, hoping she'd just crack, they were slowly learning that just because she hadn't been with the Agency for seven years didn't mean she forgot her training.

Finally JJ walked in looking so poised and in control that Emily smirked at the two men, the media liaison had her harden look about her.

"Agent you have to tell us where Declan is, we can keep him safe, we also need to know any place you think Ian Doyle might go," They barely waited a second to start their questioning, she saw JJ roll her eyes before turning to meet them.

"Agent Prentiss has already answered your questions and needs to be moved again,"

"She hasn't answered them truthfully." Emily had the urge to stick out her tongue at the men but she knew JJ would take care of the situation.

"I'm sure Agent Prentiss has answered the best of her ability, considering the trauma she's being through-" there was absolute steel in the blondes voice, "-now maybe you can continue this conversation when she has regained more of her strength after more of her recovery-" JJ leaned forward and her gaze hardened a fraction, "-like I said, Agent Prentiss is being moved today, you have your orders, have a nice day gentleman."

Emily could see the arguments on the men's faces but they left giving her a look that promised she'd see them soon. As soon as they left she turned to JJ just in time to see her face melt into one she recognized.

"Oh, Em," she said and leaned to hug her, "you look like hell."

Emily laughed, "I'll miss that loving nature." JJ smiled.

"How are they?" JJ nodded a resigned look in her eyes.

"Coping, Hotch is glad you're ok, the team will go into new dynamics, I'm working on few things, you still speak French right?" Emily smiled.

"Take care of Reid," JJ eyes watered. "And Seaver, she can't take all of this so soon and please don't let Hotch take so much that he forgets about Jack or you about Henry, I'll be fine, take care of your families." Emily instructed.

"I promise," JJ caught her eye and handed her a go bag, Emily accepted that this was as much as she was going to get and started looking in the bag.

"I'm going to talk to your doctor," JJ left and never came back but there was a note in stuck between the pages of puzzle book with a link to an online gaming site: Remember game night ~ cheetobreath.

Suppressing tears, Emily turned and found her escort Clyde Easter, silently watching her. He approached with a sad look in his eyes and traced the top of her bandaged head and bruised arms.

"Shoulda shot him when I had a chance"

"I should have shot him when I had the chance."

"Tsia knew?"

"Sorta," he smirked.

"Your team will be ok."

"Are you going to take care of them?" The question was a shadow of a question.

"You know Lauren was one difficult lady to keep alive, always getting herself in trouble more than all the women you ever were but Em, we killed her and now you have to bury her."

Emily nodded, he patted her hand, "Rest Em, it's all going to work out, trust me and trust your team."

"I do." she said and she meant it.

* * *

!+

Emily groaned as she made it up Rossi's driveway and found the team's cars still there.

"You didn't think they'd leave did you?"

"Their profilers maybe they would've gotten the hint." Rossi let a chuckle out,

"Oh, they got the hint alright," he muttered as he helped Emily with Dacey.

Emily rushed passed everyone in the dining room into the living room,

"Don't want to talk about," she said quickly over her shoulder. He could hear Rossi laughing again. He would be no help..

She place Dacey on her pillow for tummy time and scolded her, "Don't give me that face," Emily swore her baby scowled back.

"It's remarkable how much she looks like you, you know statistically she will grow up with so all your quirks including your nail biting-" Emily scrunched up her nose, "-and that too." She smiled softly at him, "You read my letters often?"

"Every day."

"Do they help?"

"Yes"

"They help your mother too."

"I know that now."

"Good." and it was over, Reid shifted his weight and leaned back on the couch and Emily turned back to Dacey.

"I read your letter too," he was behind Dacey, his hand at the back of his neck, a nervous habit of his, she gave him a nod. Encouraged he continued on a lighter note, "not as much as Reid," she smiled and heard JJ giggle.

"They helped?" she asked tentatively, he came down to his knees in a single motion, "yes," the word seemed to have been ripped from his soul and she knew he probably did read them every day.

"Sometimes, I catch a glimpse of myself and I see all the people I've been looking back at me," she sucked in a breath and could feel everyone's eyes on her. "I know some of you've been undercover and you know what you have to do to become someone else but I don't think you've ever been as deep as I have." She looked up to see Morgan looking at her, taking in every word like a water of life. "You haven't been as many people as I have, Lauren was one of the voices in my head, don't get me wrong-" she smirked a little, "-she was the loudest but they all were at one time."

"Do you still hear them," _do you still hear her? _

"Not anymore," she answered truthfully, Lauren was buried right next to Ian, where she belonged.

* * *

_ Sooner or later we've all got to let go of our past ~ Dan Brown_

!+  
!+

**A/N: I always like that Rossi immediately knew what Prentiss was doing and why because he knew that Emily was a good person trying to protect them and always hated that Morgan doubt her, even for a second. **

**_rmlawson78: where did I lose you? I know it's getting confusing with the jumping of points of view but PM if I really get crazy!_**

**_emilyhotchnerforever: Emily did indeed bring a Ian Doyle's daughter to the world!_**

**So Review! Yes?! And I don't know where I'm going to end this or if I should continue this to an actual longer story and if Emily should be paired with someone or if she's meant to be a single mom. And Declan comes back in the next chapter! It's my birthday tomorrow so I'm a little distracted but the chapter is half written. **


	9. Coming Home

**A/N: Did the link work for Dacey's outfit? I put it on my tumblr if you were curious. Either way I don't own it.**

* * *

_Having a place to go - is a home. Having someone to love - is a family. Having both - is a blessing. ~Donna Hedges_

!+!  
!+!

Emily kissed him tentatively, slowly, small pecking kisses. She rubbed her lips and he watched as her tongue flicked out tasting them, memorizing the feel, the taste. Her eyes met his, breathing heavily waiting for her. Emily let her eyes slide down to his swollen pink lips and watched them come closer, she met them in an agonizing slow pace, that continued in the kiss.

Hot, passionate, lust crazed but ever so slow, she felt him give in to her and she realized they were melting together. The moved closer and into a more intimate embrace, crawling inch by inch, never breaking the kiss into she was straddle on his lap. His hands on her waist, drawing small circles with his thumbs. Her hands on his shoulders, bringing them closer into a space entirely their own.

It was in this heated embrace that she felt their souls meld together, feel their oxygen leave and enter each other's bodies, their blood flow freely, pumping into each other's veins.  
They stayed like that for a long time, the kiss heating up but never picking up pace. Until finally, she separated her lips from his a fraction of an inch.

"I'm sorry," she murmured into his lips, he swallowed the words and nodded. He opened to eyes to find hers, reflections of each other, see the real sorrow in her eyes as she denied him his wish. "I know," his voice etched with sadness and he untangled himself from her.

They stole a chaste kiss so unremarkable compared to their last one they had shared. He stood at the door, looking at her, heartbeats passed and he left.

Emily couldn't live while Ian was alive out there. Lauren couldn't die while Ian lived.

Lauren Reynolds and Ian Doyle were bad people, who could never truly be happy little family. They could never stop being the evil that latched to them so long ago. There was no going back. But Emily, Emily deserved more than Lauren and Ian's lives. She deserved what they wanted and could never have. A family.

Emily would always deny Lauren and Ian a child but marriage she would give them. Her present to them. Emily suspected that Ian saw her behind Lauren's mask sometimes. Today, denying him a child, a family, she was sure that he felt her as much as she felt him pumping in her veins.

* * *

"How do you know it's safe?" Emily sighed after Tom had asked this question at least ten times in the last twenty minute conversation.

"Tom, you know me, right?" She waited for his quick little nod before she continued. "You know what I did, how I did it and you know I asked you for a favor that I can never repay you for and I know you love Dec more than anything in this world, I don't want to fight you on this. But please believe me when I say; I would never put Declan's life in danger."

"We call him Matt,"

"No you don't, you call him Deck because when the cards are against him, he stacks the deck."

"He's not Declan anymore,"

"No he is a twelve year old boy that has gone through much more than he has to and I am trying to help."

He gave her a doubtful look.

"We will work this out, you have to have an open mind about this."

"I'm trying Em."

"Let's go, we'll figure this out with a friend,"

"Going to gang up on me,"

"Most defiantly."

!+++++++!++++++!

JJ was in the bullpen with Garcia, it was early and they could all be getting the jump on the day but Garcia was planning a girls night with JJ when Morgan had pulled up, leading them to his desk. Now he and even Reid teased the girls on their not so secret girl time.

"Emily just had a baby, Garcia."

"That's exactly why she needs a girls night!" Was the line Garcia had repeated for her argument.

"Why can't it be a family dinner?" Reid semi whined.

"How about a date?" Morgan said with a slight leer and waggle of eyebrows, "three fine ladies and me."

"What about me," piped in Reid again.

"I doubt Will, will allow that." Garcia giggled out.

"What about Kevin" JJ said in her not amused voice.

"I don't think I'd like to share with you Reid," Morgan managed to get out.

The four friends stared each other down before breaking out laughing.

But their good times were cut short at the sound of another laugh, Emily.

Time slowed as Reid and Morgan's face turned exactly the same time like a dogs catching a scent, JJ and Garcia shared a look that clearly said, _boys_. It was almost comical how protective they were, JJ turned just in time to see Rossi's door opening. _Really_, she thought, _he has great hearing for his age.  
_

She saw the moment that Emily made her presence across the old profilers eyes when they darken slightly. Compelled to see what the fuss was about she turned and found her mind go blank. They were all used to seeing Emily in all kinds get-ups, but this was different.  
Emily's hair slighter lighter, falling in loose curls and in flowly red dress that came around mid thigh, long sleeved with a square neckline. A neckline that clearly showed Doyle brand on her. Faded and healed for some time but still prominent and noticeable.

But it was the man that on her side, arms interlocked that really slapped everyone in the face. She could feel that gazes of the men narrow and grow heated in their icyness. If Emily felt it, she ignored it as she waved with a big smile and turned back to the man without waiting for a response. He said something and she let another giggle, she saw Morgan and Reid stiffen at the sound.

JJ looked around and saw that it wasn't only them two that this it had effected, she turned to glare at the agents milling around, some openly staring wide mouth at the scene that they had just witnessed.

Feeling much like Emily the day Morgan had fist stumbled on Dacey, she glared all of them down until they scurried away muttering warnings to others of the, once media liaisons, face.

"She's wearing red,"

"In China red dresses are used for ceremonies to symbolizes happiness, celebration and luck-"

"Doesn't need much luck with a four leave clover, does she," the hissed replay was harsh.

And they watched them knock and enter Hotch's office.

"What the hell is going on?" Rossi's voice rang out.

* * *

Emily smirked as she closed the door, her little family were not-so-discreetly merging into the conference room except for Garcia who looked very much like a determined hacker going into her lair. They'd figure it out by the time she was done with Hotch and Tom.

"Emily and-" Hotch was no better than the boys outside, a certain ice creeping into his professional tone.

"Tom Kohler," Hotch's hand extended for a hand shake as recognition crossed his face.

"We need some legal advice on guardianship," Emily arranged all the necessary paperwork on top of Hotchs' desk and leaned back on her chair getting situated for the fight sure to come.

Hotch raised his eyebrows, took at the two people seated in front of him, sighed and started scanning the paperwork.

* * *

"What you got for me, baby girl?" Morgan clearly on point JJ, Reid and Rossi surrounded the white board in the conference room.

"As you know you either have to have and ID or sign in to enter the building, so hacking that information while simultaneously running facial recognition software both confirm that this is Thomas Chase Kohler, current guardian of Matthew Thatcher AKA Declan Doyle."

Looks of complete shock met the end of her statement.

"And I ask again, what the hell-" but Rossi was cut short as Garcia let a little gasp, everyone turned. And there he was, leaning on the left side of the door, Emily came up behind him and leaned on the right side of the door. The twinkle in her eye practically glowing with happiness.

"Stalkers, meet my friend Tom, Tom meet my crazy stalk-rish family." He gave a small wave and smile.

"Dec will be in good hands it seems, did you really need the facial recognition?" Garcia blushed.

"I admit that's a little much, I mean military ID not good enough?" They turned to each other and raised eyebrows. The team had noticed it before and when they would ask Hotch later, he would confirm that both of them were very in sync. Too in sync for people who claimed to not seen each other for over seven years. Emily could see the wheels turning- "Garcia you promised no tracking my location via phone, that means my past locations." Suspicious looks intensified.

"Come on Tom, I deal with them later," They started walking down the hall away from the looks.

"This is who you would let babysit, Dec?" Their voices carried over to the team.

"In a heartbeat-"was the last thing they heard before they were out of hearing range.

Emily turned to Tom as they reached the elevator.

"Thank you," She said quietly.

"I always said I would give him up if you came back but..."

"But seven years passed." Emily nodded, "I spent almost two years and giving him up was the hardest thing I ever had to do."

"I know and it's not like I'm around much-" Emily waved away the words.

"I will never take away your son from you, Tom." Her words were quite but they were true. Tom had been the best father in the world to Declan, her little _tesoro_ was given every opportunity in the world.

"No, he gets his mother back." Agreed Tom, they smiled at each other, Emily clutching the paper work in her hands. The elevator hit the ground floor and she walked him out of the building and they went their separate ways.

* * *

"Of course I'll babysit," JJ raised her eyebrows at Emily and Garcia shrugged in response.

"He's good with Henry," Garcia muttered

"But Dacey is three months," Emily retaliated and once again looked at JJ for confirmation that Spencer Reid was the best candidate to take care of a three month year old Dacey and a four year old Henry for the night.

"I'm right here guys," Garcia hushed him as the two women silently conversed.

Finally Emily let out a huge breath and Reid smiled as the triumph babysitter.

"Rossi could have done it,"

"He is working on his book and he cannot handle my son,"

"You can barely handle your son," Garcia chimed in and Emily nodded in agreement.

"Whatever Miss-I-Have-Separation-Issues,"

"I don't have separation issues, I just don't know if Reid-"

"Spence is a provable genius," Emily decided the best response was to stick her tongue out.

Garcia laughed but offered to go get them more drinks.

"You good," JJ nudged. Emily met her deep blue eyes and nodded.

"Girls night!" Emily tried to laugh it off.

"We can go home if you want to see them." Emily pursed her lips in consideration.

"I can't do that to Garcia," she finally said.

"Fine, but we leave early," JJ said patting her arm, "you should be with your family."

* * *

_Spencer,_

_I finally settled on a lullaby today and it has to be Boats and Birds, I know it's not anything like Declan's (seriously Do-do ti-chéri) but I sing it to her in French and English, I know I'm only seven months but I think she likes it. I wish you were here to tell me everything I could possibly ever want and not want to know about pregnancy. Especially at my age and my injuries, all the stages she's in. The doctor says she's healthy and growing so strong but I can't be certain without my favorite doctors opinion. _

_Anyway I know the lullaby isn't classical but I sing them Declan's lullaby by the Mozart Requiem and Dacey's to Vivaldi The Four Seasons. _

_I know you have something to say about it and sometimes I just want to hear your voice telling me something, anything at all. And I want Morgan to cut you off in a look and tease you. I want to step in and make a joke. I want to laugh with my friends. I want you all to see the video sonogram and see her, hear her heartbeat race. I want you to touch my belly and freak out. I want to finish our conversation about baby genius. _

_I know you're afraid but you have so much to give as a father. _

_To quote JJ, "I can see it." _

_And that's all I really have to say about it. _

_I hope your headaches are better, I've been looking into it and if it makes you feel better I know that you are not losing your mind._

_I'm sure I have but yours is still as amazing as ever. _

_Please go to a doctor, it is not schizophrenia, I promise you it is not. _

_Just go to a doctor.  
_

_So much love,_

_Emily_

* * *

Emily rushed up the stairs but slowed as she heard a voice she couldn't place speaking. No, not speaking, singing, in French. She tiptoed to her bedroom door and careful moved over her gun and instead took out her phone, if her hunch was right she had to get it on film. If it wasn't she kept her purse handy ready to take out her gun if necessary. Trying to be quiet she started recording before slowly opening Dacey's door and let a little "oh" sound pass her lips.

Derek Morgan laid in the left side of her bed at the edge, next to him Declan leaning into chest sound asleep, clutching Declan was little Henry also asleep. The two blonde boys looking so similar they could be cousins or brothers. Then there was Spencer Reid holding her daughter. He too was laying on her bed and he was also the singer she heard. Holding back tears she recognized Dacey's lullaby, she could see that her daughter was awake and staring at the man holding her with happy slightly questionable eyes.

As soon as her lullaby was over, Reid moved to the next song on his CD playlist which was Declan's lullaby, much shorter than Dacey's, Morgan chimed in when his voice was needed. This had obviously not been the first time they had done this. Derek finally broke the spell across the room, "Kid's got a voice on him."

"Oh my god," was JJ's response and you could see Garcia clicking away on her phone.

"You're a good back up, Morgan"

"Karaoke night!" Exclaimed Garcia and JJ shushed her but it was too late. All the children woke up and turned to look at the three women who had stumbled into the scene.

"I didn't know what else to do and the CD always helps me." Emily barely heard him, eyes locked on Declan.

"It's been working all night too." He started rubbing his eyes and she saw him at five years old doing the same thing.

"Mom," Emily opened her arms automatically and Declan went to her without a thought, she met him halfway so he didn't have to leave the bed.

"Hey there sleepyhead, you enjoy the night with your uncles?"

"I'm sorry I left Ben's, you hadn't emailed any pict-" Emily was rocking the half asleep Declan shushing and humming his lullaby, moments later he slept.

"It's ok,_ tesoro,_ Ben's mom called," she whispered soothingly, she knew he couldn't hear her but they would discuss his running away escape later.

"Thanks Morgan," She didn't even look up from the fast asleep boy in her arms.

"Well after Reid called me to tell me he was her and looking for you I thought he could use some backup."

"Are you going to take him to therapist?" Emily weighed the question and finally, "No, he just needs to know he's safe and I think-" she caught both Morgan and Reid's eyes, "-we're good."

* * *

_The ache for home lives in all of us, the safe place where we can go as we are and not be questioned ~ Maya Angelou_

* * *

**A:N: Last chapter coming soon. **

**Thank you so much for amazing reviews and birthday wishes! It's been an eventful week. Thanks for sticking with me.**


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